Water and air
Magentabluesky sends:
http://www.monofoil.com/
It will use aerodynamic lift from the wing (the sail) to raise the fuselage (the hull) out of the water, leaving only a small surface-piercing foil in the water to react the aerodynamic loads. This configuration will ensure aerodynamic efficiency with minimal wetted surface drag and the potential for very high speeds.
Breaking 100 Knots
Monofoil has been designed to reach an outright top speed in excess of 100 knots. While this may seem wildly ambitious in conventional sailing terms, it is a relatively modest speed in an aeronautical environment.
Cruising at 50 knots
The loads and stresses on Monofoil have been carefully calculated to be safe at 100 knots. This means that at fairly low speeds of around 50 to 70 knots Monofoil will still be "flying", but the loads will be greatly reduced and well inside the design parameters. This will make Monofoil ideal for both short, fast runs and longer ocean passage records. The crafts only limitations are likely to be down to pilot endurance and nerve.
http://OzReport.com/1249651661
|